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Governor Reveals True Intent of Prop. 1 - the Brown Water Plan

by Dan Bacher
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla noted that Proposition 1 is closely allied to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, a Brown scheme that is a reprise of the Peripheral Canal. The BDCP would authorize the construction of two gigantic trans-Delta tunnels that would devastate the Delta, cost $70 billion or more, and benefit corporate San Joaquin Valley farmers at the expense of citizen ratepayers.
brown_water_plan.jpeg
Water bond is closely allied with Delta tunnels

by Dan Bacher

After months of misrepresenting the true purpose of Proposition 1, Governor Jerry Brown "inadvertently undermined his own message" at a recent Stanford water conference, according to a statement from Prop. 1 opponents.

Brown, one of the worst governors for fish, water and the environment in recent California history, claimed the measure would provide components missing from the State Water Project “enacted by my father.” These components, Brown ominously intoned, would “deal with the Delta.”

Jerry Brown had attempted to “deal with the Delta” once before. That was during his first tenure as governor in the 1980s, when he tried to push through the Peripheral Canal, a fiscally irresponsible and environmentally destructive trans-Delta water conveyance scheme that was soundly rejected by voters.

Opponents of Proposition 1 noted that the State Water Project constructed by Governor Pat Brown is nothing to boast about.

“It has depleted North State Rivers, degraded the richest estuary on the west coast of the continental United States, encouraged unsustainable corporate agriculture on the toxic soils of the western San Joaquin Valley and provided zero water security for southern California ratepayers,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of Restore the Delta and field director for No on Proposition 1.

“In concert with the federal Central Valley Project, the State Water Project has brought the Delta to the precipice of ecological collapse. Meanwhile, the State Water Resources Control Board has handed out water rights that promise five times more water than is available in California. Now, the Governor is championing a proposition for dams that will provide minimal water storage at astronomical expense, and destroy what is left of our salmon fisheries. These aren’t legacies he should point to with pride," she said.

Barrigan-Parrilla noted that Proposition 1 is closely allied to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, a Brown scheme that is a reprise of the Peripheral Canal. The BDCP would authorize the construction of two gigantic trans-Delta tunnels that would devastate the Delta, cost $70 billion or more, and benefit corporate San Joaquin Valley farmers at the expense of citizen ratepayers.

"Brown appeared at the Stanford conference – inappropriately titled New Directions for U.S. Water Policy -- with representatives of Paramount Farms, a corporation that cultivates 165,000 acres of orchards in the San Joaquin Valley. Stewart Resnick, a close Brown confidant and Democratic Party fund-raiser, owns Paramount Farms. Resnick has made hundreds of millions of dollars exporting nut crops to China. He has used his wealth to great advantage, influencing state water policy through generous political contributions, including to Brown’s campaigns," according to Barrigan-Parrilla.

“Brown’s master plan for California water is simple,” says Barrigan-Parrilla. “First, it’s about taking care of special corporate interests like Paramount Farms. Then it’s about sticking taxpayers with the bill. It benefits the governor’s cronies, but it certainly does nothing to secure the water security of average Californians.”

Barrigan-Parrilla noted that voters must recognize the linkage between Proposition 1 and the BDCP, and reject both.

“Voters should not be fooled. Proponents of Prop 1 may say the water bond is separate from building the twin Delta tunnels, which will devastate fisheries, family farms, and the five county Delta region. But the Governor does not see them as separate,” she observed. “Gov. Brown’s poor choices in water leadership through three terms have not protected Californians during this drought, and they will only assure future water crises. Prop. 1 mainly offers more infrastructure projects that will be bone dry during future droughts.”

Opponents of Proposition 1 also criticized Gov. Brown for falsely claiming in his special-interest funded paid ad campaign that Prop. 1 has “nearly unanimous” support for public funding for water transfers to enrich huge agribusinesses, and to enable the biggest dam-building program in California history.

“The governor falsely claims near unanimous support, but that just means he doesn’t pay attention to those who disagree with him,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla. “It’s insulting and false to make that claim.”

The Cal Berkeley Democrats, Chico Conservation Voters, CREDO, Delta Fly Fishers, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Progressive Democrats of Santa Monica Mountains, Northern California Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers and the Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of California recently joined the growing movement against Prop. 1.

Below is an updated list of Prop. 1 opponents:

AFSCME District Council
Ballona Institute
Butte Environmental Council
Cal Berkeley Democrats
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
California Striped Bass Association
California Water Impact Network
Coast Action Group
Center for Biological Diversity
Central Delta Water Agency
Chico Conservation Voters
Concerned Citizens Coalition of Stockton
CREDO Action
Delta Fly Fishers
Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC)
Environmental Water Caucus
Factory Farm Awareness Coalition
Friends Committee on Legislation of California
Friends of the Eel River
Friends of the River
Food and Water Watch
Foothill Conservancy
Green Democratic Club of Sacramento County
Hoopa Valley Tribe
Northern California Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations
Potrero Hill Democratic Club
Progressive Democrats of Santa Monica Mountains
Pulga Rancheria Concow Maidu Indians
Restore the Delta
Sacramento River Preservation Trust
San Francisco Baykeeper
San Francisco Crab Boat Association
Save the American River Association
Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fishermen’s Association
Sherman Island Duck Hunters Association
Sonoma County Conservation Action
South Delta Water Agency
Southern California Watershed Alliance
Tar Sands Action
Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of California
Wetlands Defense Fund
Wild Heritage Planners
Winnemem Wintu Tribe

For more information go to http://www.noonprop1.org

For my in-depth investigative piece exposing the real environmental record of Jerry Brown, go to: http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/09/24/big-oils-favorite-governor-jerry-brown/
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